Samuel Johnson, Timothy Cutler, & Thomas Bradbury Chandler

Monday, August 17, 2015Wednesday, August 17, 2016Thursday, August 17, 2017Friday, August 17, 2018

The Collect:

God of your pilgrim people, you called Samuel Johnson, Timothy Cutler and Thomas Chandler to leave their spiritual home and embrace the Anglican way: We give you thanks for their devoted service in building up your Church and shepherding your flock in colonial times; and we pray that, like them, we may follow where your Spirit leads and be ever eager to feed the hearts and minds of those entrusted to our care, in the Name of Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Reading:

Sirach 24:1-8

1 Wisdom praises herself,
and tells of her glory in the midst of her people.2 In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth,
and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory:3 ‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,
and covered the earth like a mist.4 I dwelt in the highest heavens,
and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.5 Alone I compassed the vault of heaven
and traversed the depths of the abyss.6 Over waves of the sea, over all the earth,
and over every people and nation I have held sway.*7 Among all these I sought a resting-place;
in whose territory should I abide?

8 ‘Then the Creator of all things gave me a command,
and my Creator chose the place for my tent.
He said, “Make your dwelling in Jacob,
and in Israel receive your inheritance.”

Psalm:

Psalm 32:8-12

8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
else it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the torments of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

Epistle:

1 Peter 2:1-10

1 Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. 2Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— 3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5like living stones, let yourselves be built* into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in scripture:
‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever believes in him* will not be put to shame.’7To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner’,8and
‘A stone that makes them stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall.’
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,* in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.10 Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.

Gospel:

Matthew 16:13-20

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ 14And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ 15He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ 16Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah,* the Son of the living God.’ 17And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you, you are Peter,* and on this rock* I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ 20Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was* the Messiah.*